# Michigan City Budget Workshop September 14, 2026


**Body:** Access LaPorte County Media
**Date:** September 13, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Construction & Infrastructure, Professional Services, Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding


The Michigan City Budget Workshop held on September 14, 2026, focused extensively on the city's fiscal planning, including significant capital expenditures and personnel additions. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval of a $1.5 million fire truck purchase, $600,000 for police fleet rotation, and $413,000 for a dump truck with specialized equipment. The budget also allocates $300,000 for updated police IT infrastructure and $250,000 for permanent brick street maintenance. The city plans to utilize $3.3 million from its strong cash reserves, projected at $19 million, to fund these capital projects and other expenses. Several new positions were proposed to support growing city needs, including a zoning specialist, engineering technician, field supervisor for the street department, director of constituent services, and a grant administrator to manage increasing grant compliance requirements. The workshop also addressed changes in state legislation affecting permit fee revenues, which must now be segregated into a dedicated fund, impacting future budgeting and departmental funding. The proposed budget totals approximately $78 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase from the previous year, with a 3.5% employee raise included. The city emphasized the need for strategic staffing and capital investments to support ongoing growth and infrastructure maintenance.

**Source:** Access LaPorte County Media